Young children
Children can begin their first tentative steps on
skis as early as 3 years old but don't expect miracles at this age.
Half an hour, twice a day is more than enough for a three year old
to cope with. As you yourself become more accomplished you can be of
greater help to your children. Maybe you'll be able to stand behind
them and hold them up as you glide down a slope together? Don't
forget that the other activities in the snow will be at least as
much fun as skiing, especially if your children are not used to
seeing snow. Take time out to build a snowman (complete with
decorations of course!) and sledging is also popular. If you haven't
got a sledge then a good sized plastic bag is just as effective.
Remember, if they start to get fed up with the skis on their feet,
take them off. It'll be much harder to get them on again next time
if they didn't enjoy it the last time. Usually, the attraction of
having all the same gear as everyone else (complete with sticks - no
metal points please!) ensures that they're willing to try. Ski boots
normally begin at European size 25.
For the youngest children the answer is a "pulk", a specially
designed sledge for pulling children behind you as you ski. If
you've never been on skis before then make sure you've got the
basics before you start skiing with a pulk. During the first couple
of days, parents may have to take it in turns to ski or amuse the
children. A pulk is a great way of ensuring that your youngster is
kept both warm and safe. They have special visors to keep the wind
of your child's face and are solid enough to cope with the odd
knock. Don't limit their use to skiing, they can also be used when
going for a walk. Pulks are attached via two solid arms which keep
the pulk at a fixed distance behind you. These are attached to a
harness which has both a good belt and straps over your shoulders.
Follow the manufacturers guidelines for pulk use, the most important
being the temperature at which it can be used. "Fjellpulken" are the
most commonly found pulk and they recommend that it should not be
used for small children at temperatures under minus 10 Celsius.
Remember that your toddler is not moving about and therefore
generating little heat. Wrap them up well, cover their eyes in
sunglasses and make sure that they have plenty of insulating
material under them. Once the pulk is in motion it's almost a
guarantee that your child will fall asleep and you can relax and
think about the skiing. Do NOT use a pulk for children under 6
months old.
The age at which children stop using pulks depends mostly on the
ability of the parent. Eventually they become simply too heavy to
pull up the hills. Try to wean them off the pulk by taking the skis
along, using them more and more each day.
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